University of Phoenix leaders spotlight learning-to-workforce alignment and culture as strategy at UPCEA 2026 Annual Conference

Dr. Marc Booker and Bridget Beville share practical approaches to institutional agility, workforce pathways and federal policy readiness, while McCeil Johnson serves in UPCEA leadership.

PHOENIX, April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- University of Phoenix announces that Marc Booker, Ph.D., vice provost, Strategy, and Bridget Beville, JD, vice president of Resolution Services and Title IX coordinator, are participating in programming at the 2026 UPCEA Annual Conference, held April 15–17 in New Orleans, sharing approaches institutions can use to connect learning pathways to real-world success, strengthen organizational agility through culture and navigate federal policy developments affecting online and professional continuing education. McCeil Johnson, J.D., vice president for Accreditation and Regulatory Compliance, serves in UPCEA leadership as the Engagement and Opportunity Committee's representative on the UPCEA Board of Directors (2025–2027).

Key takeaways

• Learning pathways: Marc Booker shared practical approaches for turning learning pathways into real-world success, including strategies to align education-to-employment pipelines with evolving workforce needs.
• Culture as strategy: Marc Booker presented how a culture of strategic planning and disciplined change management can support agility, engagement and outcomes across higher education operations.
• Federal policy readiness: Bridget Beville contributed to UPCEA's federal policy update discussion, framing how legislative and regulatory developments may shape priorities for online and professional continuing education leaders.
• UPCEA engagement & opportunities: McCeil Johnson supported UPCEA's Engagement and Opportunity priorities through Board service as the committee's representative for a two-year term (2025–2027).

University Leadership at the Conference

Marc Booker, Ph.D., Vice Provost, Strategy
Booker spoke in two UPCEA 2026 sessions: "Hire" Education: Turning Learning Pathways into Real-World Success (Wednesday, April 15) and Culture as Strategy: Building Agility, Engagement, and Outcomes in Higher Education (Friday, April 17). Across both sessions, Booker's focus centers on how institutions can design and execute strategies that translate institutional activities into meaningful progress to deliver learners more value — and how culture and operational discipline can serve as the engine for sustained improvement.

Booker's UPCEA engagement also includes being named a recipient of UPCEA's Business & Operations Award for Operational Excellence for 2024, which recognized his work aligning resources and strategy to strengthen academic outcomes and institutional performance.

Bridget Beville, J.D., Vice President of Resolution Services and Title IX coordinator
Beville spoke in the session, Federal Policy Update: A New Era for Higher Education and the Federal Government. The session was designed for senior administrators and policy leaders and explored legislative and regulatory developments affecting online and professional continuing education — including topics spanning Title IV regulations, financial aid changes, accreditation standards, workforce funding initiatives and emerging compliance requirements.

In her University role, Beville leads institutional efforts related to Title IX compliance, investigations, complaint resolution and response, student and faculty conduct and academic appeals — experience that informs an operating lens grounded in clear processes, accountability and student-centered practice.

McCeil Johnson, J.D., Vice President for Accreditation and Regulatory Compliance
Johnson attended UPCEA 2026 in her capacity serving a two-year term as Chair of the Engagement and Opportunity Committee in UPCEA leadership, as the Committee's representative on the UPCEA Board of Directors. Her service reflects ongoing engagement in the association's governance and priorities related to welcoming, student-centered educational practices. In her role as University of Phoenix's vice president, Accreditation & Regulatory Compliance, Johnson provides leadership and management for the University's institutional and college-specific accreditation and regulatory initiatives, including institutional, programmatic, state boards, and other regulatory functions.

Additional University of Phoenix Leadership Activities

In April 2026, University leaders are participating in the ASU + GSV Summit, UPCEA Annual Conference, AACRAO Annual Meeting, and PESC Data Summit. These engagements underscore the University's commitment to innovation and thought leadership in higher education for working adult learners, providing valuable insights on workforce trends, skills-alignment, AI frameworks, and transfer credit.

Learn more here about the 2026 UPCEA Annual Conference.

About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor's and master's degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

SOURCE University of Phoenix